Prague, Czech Republic

When I moved to North Carolina in 2002, my friend Jodie introduced me to the one person she knew who lived there, and she in turn introduced me to some lifelong friends. We have been going on trips together since. This time was to the Czech Republic!

Usually long flights don't bother me, but this one was particularly uncomfortable in a small middle seat, and I had a cough I tried to suppress for 7.5 hours. Somewhat unsuccessfully.

I was the first one to arrive in Prague, and I exchanged my money at the airport because you have to pay the city tax to the Airbnb host in cash. The woman at the exchange desk told me what the coins were worth, told me I should keep some to pay for bathrooms, and finished with "I hope you like it here."

Bolt is the Czech version of Uber, and I got one to our Airbnb apartment, about 30 minutes away. As I rode there, I thought "No one in the world knows where I am right now." But a 100% success rate in riding with strangers in other countries!

Our nice Airbnb host met me at the apartment and chatted with me about the area. I immediately left to go for a walk - a beautiful day! - and then my friends arrived! Aimee and Laurie from North Carolina, Alicia from Maryland, and Anna from Germany.

We went to a place called U Flecku, which is Prague's oldest brewery, operating since 1449. It is a touristy place known for liveliness and accordion playing, and it had both! We ate Czech food there (goulash for me) for the first and last time of the trip.

We walked to the Charles Bridge, finished in 1402, and it was gorgeous. So many people out!

Anna had made us reservations at a speakeasy called Anonymous, where we entered by a secret door bookcase, the server wore a mask, and we chose our drinks (or rather THEY CHOSE US) by looking at Rorschach Blots.

These drinks were very dramatically presented, with lights and ice and flourish. We went upstairs afterward, which was called Ideas Are Bullet Proof. We spoke with the woman working there, and she said she was from Prague, she’d lived other places, and she didn’t like it here because people weren’t nice. We asked her for suggestions and she gave us a lot of them and we took them over the whole rest of the trip! Despite not liking it, she had good suggestions!

Day Two

Aimee and I ran along the river and saw so many cool things. The boats along the river had both ice rinks and saunas on them. We went to Dancing House, which is a famous building that looks like people dancing, for coffee. We got our friends and went on the Prague Boats tour, which was a narrated boat trip on the river. From there, we walked to the Jewish quarter and saw the cemetery, and then we went to the Old Town Square. I loved the square! It had a gorgeous church and the astronomical clock that goes off every hour. There were so many people, tourists, locals, everything. So lively!  

There was a long line to see inside Idiom, the ‘Infinite Book Tower’ in the Prague Municipal Library, but if you just go in the other doors and see it from the outside, there is no line! Really cool sculpture.

We wen to the Kafka Humous Café for lunch, and then stopped by to see ‘Hanging Man,’ a life-size  model of Sigmund Freud hanging by one hand from a roof.

We went to the rooftop bar Teresa U Prince, which had a gorgeous view of the city. They had it all set up for Valentine’s Day and so of course we took a lovely picture with their flowers and hearts.

We ate at Pho Vietnam and walked around a different part of the city, by the National Gallery, where there was an ice skating rink set up in the street. I couldn’t help myself and bought a fur hat. They were for sale everywhere and irresistible. As soon as I put it on, it was the first time anyone addressed me in Czech instead of English. I obviously looked the part!

We went to a very fancy place called Forbina, where the drinks were again presented with a story, and when they arrived there was dry ice, a giant bubble, a whole little show and tell.

Day Three

I ran to a park and across a bridge to another art sculpture. Aimee ran to a monument. There are so many artistic things to look at in Prague. Every building has a gargoyle or a face or a man hanging from it – so fun to see.

We went to the river to the farmer’s market, and it was huge! Lots of people there, and not just tourists – lots of locals and families out at the farmer’s market like in every city. Food, art, music.

We walked to the Prague Castle, which has great views, especially of the cathedral. We were too late to get tickets, so we checked out the Golden Lane, the grounds, and the views. On the way back, we were on the street by Charles Bridge again, and I love it. So many shops, people, activity. We celebrated Aimee’s birthday, and we went to Bruxxe for dinner.

Day Four

We took the train to Kutna Hora, which has an ossuary, or bone church. Boy, was it creepy. People had used bones to make a giant chandelier, and pyramids, a family crest, and really some unattractive art. I mean, teeth holes. But am I glad I saw it? Yes I am! This was next to The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin, and that was pretty. Prettier than bones, anyway.

(The train was not terribly difficult to figure out. Everyone will answer questions and almost everyone speaks English.)

We went back to Prague and ate at Las Adalitas Mexican restaurant, and then we headed over to the circles on the Vltava River. These circles were so cool. They were used for storage, and then they made them into shops, cafes, and galleries. They are a circle of glass and it turns to let you in and out! These looked awesome, and the sun was shining in, and it was beautiful.

Anna left for her train back to Germany, and the rest of us went to the top of Dancing House to see the gorgeous view of the city at dusk. We got pizza at San Carlo because who wouldn’t want to see what Mexican and pizza are like in Prague?

Day Five

Anna had accidentally left her purse, so we went to the post office to send it back to her. This should be a test in all countries. Find a post office. Take a number. Buy an envelope. Figure out how to do this simple task when everything is different. No problem – done!

We went to see the rotating Kafka head, which was another amazing art installation, because it doesn’t rotate like once or twice, it does it at random and in weird ways for 15 minutes!

We walked up the hill to the Strahov Monastery, and it had two absolutely gorgeous libraries. Like the Sistine Chapel. They also had a collection of books that were made from the wood of the trees they were about – and had the seeds and leaves inside – and a gallery of art. The view from here was great – so high, Petrin Tower, a little dusting of snow.

We went to Black Angels and they told us no photos or videos, so I thought the drink presentation was going to be like the other places but…nothing! No pomp and circumstance. They didn’t get the memo.

My favorite things – how old everything was, walking around the city, the river, the bridge, the road next to the bridge, the square, the churches, the bones, the libraries. Every time I go somewhere I know this is probably the last time I’ll ever be there, so I like to live it up and see as much as possible.

I was kind of dreading my long flight home BUT a woman sitting on the aisle next to me tried to move up, but the flight attendant said no, those seats cost more, but did she want the exit row? She said no, and I said, "I DO!" while leaping over her to sit there. I had the row to myself! It was actually an enjoyable 8.5 hour flight. Plus, my cough was finally gone...and the woman I was going to sit by had a way worse one! 

We went on our first trip together with these (exact) friends in 2011, and we’ve been on so many since. I feel very fortunate to have such adventurous and fun friends! Here’s to years of more trips!

2011